Slovenia’s stance on Ukraine war to be discussed in parliament

Maribor – Slovenia’s stance on the war in Ukraine will be shaped by the parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee, Prime Minister Robert Golob said on Monday in response to a letter by several prominent academics and politicians urging the new government to take a stance encouraging Ukraine and Russia to engage in serious peace talks.

“Neither I nor anybody else has the right to determine Slovenia’s foreign policy by themselves. Therefore I have requested that a session of the Foreign Policy Committee be called,” said the prime minister, adding that the National Assembly is the place where politicians have the right and the duty to discuss such matters.

His goal is to have Slovenia’s position shaped by the time he will be leaving for the EU summit late next week. However, Golob’s first trip to Brussels in his capacity as prime minister will take place this week.

He is scheduled to meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel. These will be introductory meetings, he told the press today during his visit to Maribor, adding that he intends to gather as much information as possible, which he will then present in parliament.

“It’s the job of a prime minister to collect relevant information, convey it to relevant bodies and advocate the decisions once they have been made,” said Golob.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon told public broadcaster RTV Slovenija that getting Russia back to the negotiating table remained the common goal. “Slovenia’s foreign policy should focus on humanitarian and development aid,” she added.

Nearly a week ago, eighteen intellectuals and politicians, including former Slovenian presidents Milan Kučan and Danilo Türk, expressed belief that the West and Slovenia should find alternative approaches to the Ukraine war to make the Russian and Ukrainian leaderships to engage in serious peace talks.

The letter said that there was no doubt that Russian President Vladimir Putin committed an “indelible war crime” by ordering the attack on Ukraine.

But while the arms provided to Ukraine by the West contribute to the strength of the resistance, there is no realistic prospect of Ukraine being able to fully drive the aggressor from its territory.

“The more sophisticated weapons Ukraine receives, the more Russia activates, which prolongs the war escalating it into a lengthy trench warfare, which brings long-lasting killing and destruction, while it holds Europe and much of the world hostage with energy and grain price hikes,” read the appeal.

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